The Biggest Parade

Last month I went for a walk—a very famous walk—with a few friends. I’ve been writing about the Big Parade for years now, the annual, two-day, 40-mile, 110-staircase walk we do from downtown to the Hollywood sign. But this was no Big Parade.

I think this was the Biggest Parade.

As we filed through the streets of downtown, through Elysian Park tunnels, and up Silver Lake staircases (I only did day 1 and half of day 2 this year) I couldn’t believe my eyes. The line of walkers just kept going and going and going.

At some points we were 200 people strong.

Each year, the route is a little different, so I always get to see something new. But this year, we were in for a treat. I’d heard that a sidewalk ran the length of the 110 freeway, from Chinatown to Highland Park. But I’d never walked there before.

You’re basically walking in traffic, as cars going 70 miles an hour buzz by your head. It’s a little unnerving.

As far as I can tell, this stretch of the 110 used to be Figueroa Street, so all the sidewalks and lights are from before the freeway actually went in.

The fact that they kept this little passageway is so fascinating, so bizarre. As if someone would want to go for a relaxing stroll in four lanes of traffic. That said, with some improvements, it would make a great bike path.

Once you get to the northern edge of the path, you’re rewarded with incredible views of the LA River.

And you’re confronted with the many layers of our transit infrastructure.

Then, right in the middle of having your mind blown because you’ve just walked down a FREEWAY SIDEWALK, you see this…

Yeah, that’s a spiral staircase at the intersection of the 110 and 5 freeway. Had I ever seen that before? Um, no.